Given has faith in progressive Dandino

The Dansili colt, owned and bred by the Elite Racing Club, has not put a foot wrong in four starts this term, winning competitive handicaps at Epsom's Derby meeting and at Royal Ascot on his last two outings.

Now he takes the acid test in a highly-competitive Group Three contest that was won last year by Saturday's King George hero Harbinger and is an important trial for the Ladbrokes St Leger.

"He's done absolutely nothing wrong this year – four from four – and he's very much improving," said Given. "His form has been franked all the time with horses that finished behind him winning races. It's exciting times. He's obviously got to step up into Group company and he's going to have to run well tomorrow to prove himself at that level, but every indication is he should be. He's well and we're looking forward to it.

"It's a good race and a bit hotter than your average Group Three. It has the makings of a very good race. It's a good stepping stone."

Jeremy Noseda runs both Earle Mack's Rebel Soldier and Theology in the colours of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing.

The former tackles Group company for this first time following his impressive eight-length win in a handicap at York last time out.

He has pleased Noseda since that race and will be partnered by champion jockey Ryan Moore. "Rebel Soldier is in good form and I am happy with his work. This is a big step up in class, but I feel that he is ready for it and I am more than hopeful that he can be very competitive at this level," the Newmarket trainer said.

Theology drops down in trip after finishing second to Mikhail Glinka in the Queen's Vase over two miles at Royal Ascot.

"He ran a huge race in the Vase and this is coming back a lot in trip, but I am pleased with him and physically I think he has improved," Noseda added. "After discussing options with Harry Herbert (owners' racing manager) – whether to run in this or the Goodwood Cup - we decided that if the St Leger is going to be a possibility then this is the most logical step."

The field has been reduced to 10 with the news that French import Simon De Montfort will not be making his debut for Godolphin after the colt, trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni, scoped badly.

Clive Cox is confident the return to seven furlongs will see Balthazaar's Gift in a better light in the Betfair Cup. The seven-year-old put up an excellent performance to finish a half-length second to the reopposing Finjaan in the race 12 months ago before going on to win Newbury's Hungerford Stakes in impressive style.

Over 100,000 people enjoyed this year's Yorkshire Racing Summer Festival – a record attendance for the event.

The Festival, now in its third year, saw sizeable crowds across the county from the first meeting in Ripon through to the last meeting in Pontefract. It is expected that crowd numbers will be up almost a third on the inaugural Festival after 27,000 packed into York on Friday night and another 42,000 filled the Knavesmire on Saturday.

Simon Channon, Chairman of Festival organisers Go Racing In Yorkshire, said: "I'm really chuffed.

"The racing public has embraced the Festival and the remarkable increase in the Festival attendance is testament to the support of our sponsors and the enterprise of everyone connected with the event."